Gov. Kim Reynolds teased her plan to seek reelection Tuesday but demurred on formally announcing her campaign for a third term in office.
Asked if she was seeking reelection at a news conference at the Capitol, Reynolds said, “Stay tuned. There might be some news coming, just not today.”
If she runs again, Reynolds will face a primary challenge on her right flank from former Republican state Rep. Brad Sherman.
Sherman is a Williamsburg pastor who was an early endorser of Republican President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 GOP presidential caucuses.
Reynolds, 65, has served as governor since 2017, when she succeeded Terry Branstad after he resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to China under the Trump administration.
More: Former Republican state representative to challenge Kim Reynolds for Iowa governor seat
Reynolds, who had been Iowa’s lieutenant governor, became Iowa’s first female governor and won reelection to her first full term in 2018, defeating Democrat Fred Hubbell. She was reelected in 2022, defeating Deirde DeJear.
Donald Trump endorsement could influence GOP primary voters
With Sherman’s campaign setting the stage for a primary fight, Trump’s endorsement could carry weight in Iowa’s June 2, 2026, primary elections.
Trump won decisively in Iowa, defeating Kamala Harris by 13 points in the November 2024 general election.
“This is not merely a campaign; this is a movement to revitalize the heart and soul of our state,” Sherman said in a news release. “I look forward to working with President Trump — who I endorsed early and supported in rallies, caucuses, conventions, and elections — in his agenda to restore the America we love.”
Reynolds said Tuesday she did not know whether she would have Trump’s endorsement.
“We’ll have to see, but I’m going to run on my record,” Reynolds said. “I mean, I would love it, but I’m running on my record. I’ve been running on what we’ve done for Iowa since I’ve been elected, and I’m proud of that record. We’ve gotten a lot done in a short time.”
After Trump’s return to the White House, Reynolds has looked to curry favor again with the president after the two feuded over her endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the 2024 GOP presidential nominee ahead of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation Republican caucuses.
At the time, Reynolds said of Trump: “I don’t think he can win.”
Trump immediately lashed out and said Reynolds had “gone from a popular governor to the most unpopular governor in the entire United States of America.”
But Reynolds said Tuesday her relationship with Trump since his reelection has been favorable.
Iowa’s Republican governor joined Trump earlier this month as he signed an executive order denying federal funds to schools that allow transgender women to participate in women’s sports at both the K-12 and collegiate level.
And following in the footsteps of Trump’s federal DOGE, or Department of Government Efficiency, Reynolds has created Iowa’s own DOGE task force to cut spending in state and local government.
Gov. Kim Reynolds holds massive fundraising lead
Sherman will face long odds against Reynolds, who reported raising $1.8 million over the last year, and has about $3 million in cash on hand.
According to a January filing with the state Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board, Sherman reports holding about $8,000 in cash on hand in his gubernatorial campaign account.
But Sherman’s early announcement gives him more than a year to gear up for the primary elections.
Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Reynolds teases reelection bid, stops short of campaign announcement
